Introduce yourself and tell us the Camp DIY team you picked
I'm the Camp DIY Assistant on Team Spark; together we'll build a simple wind powered car from cardboard, wheels, and a straw to learn motion.
About this activity
I'm the Camp DIY Assistant on Team Spark; together we'll build a simple wind powered car from cardboard, wheels, and a straw to learn motion.
What you need
Step by step
- 1
Step 1
Say aloud: "Hi, I'm [your name] and I'm the Camp DIY Assistant on Team Spark!"
- 2
Step 2
Cut a rectangular piece of cardboard about the length of your hand and twice as wide.
- 3
Step 3
Make two small holes through the cardboard near the front and back where the axles will go.
- 4
Step 4
Push the two skewers through the holes so they stick out both sides of the cardboard.
- 5
Step 5
Press a bottle cap onto each end of both skewers to make four wheels.
- 6
Step 6
Wrap a small piece of tape around each wheel where it meets the skewer to keep the wheels on.
- 7
Step 7
Trim any skewer ends that stick out past the tape so they are flush and safe.
- 8
Step 8
Cut a triangle or rectangle from cardboard to make a sail.
- 9
Step 9
Tape the drinking straw upright to the center top of the car body to make a mast.
- 10
Step 10
Slide the cardboard sail onto the straw or tape the sail to the straw so it stands upright.
- 11
Step 11
Put your car on a flat floor surface.
- 12
Step 12
Blow steadily on the sail to make your wind-powered car roll forward.
- 13
Step 13
Adjust the sail angle or move a wheel tape spot until the car rolls straight and smoothly.
- 14
Step 14
Share a photo or video of your finished wind-powered car on DIY.org and tell them you picked Team Spark!
Fun facts
How do I build the wind-powered car with my child as the Camp DIY Assistant on Team Spark?
I'm the Camp DIY Assistant on Team Spark; together we'll build a simple wind-powered car from cardboard, wheels, and a straw to learn motion. Start by cutting a cardboard base, add two parallel straw housings underneath for axles, then slide thin dowels or skewers through and attach wheels. Secure a vertical straw as a mast and tape a paper sail to it. Test outdoors, adjust wheel alignment, and have an adult help with cutting and any hot glue use.
What materials do I need to make a simple wind-powered car from cardboard, wheels, and a straw?
You will need sturdy cardboard for the car body, four wheels (bottle caps, toy wheels, or recycled lids), two short straws to hold axles, two thin wooden dowels or skewers for axles, one longer straw for the mast, paper for a sail, scissors, tape or glue, a ruler, and a marker. Optional items: hot glue gun (adult use), rubber bands, and extra cardboard for reinforcements. Substitute safe household items where possible.
What ages is the wind-powered car activity suitable for?
This activity suits ages 5–12. Younger children (5–7) will enjoy decorating and assembling parts with close adult supervision for cutting and handling skewers or hot glue; they’ll need help measuring and fitting axles. Ages 8–12 can perform most steps independently, practicing measuring, building, and tuning the sail. Adjust complexity—larger parts and simpler wheels for little ones, more precise axles and testing for older children.
What are the benefits of making a wind-powered car with my child?
Making a wind-powered car teaches basic physics concepts like force, friction, and motion while introducing engineering design through building and testing. Children develop fine motor skills, measuring ability, and problem-solving as they adjust wheels and sails. It encourages creativity with decoration and teamwork if done together, and outdoor testing builds observation skills as kids notice how wind strength and sail shape affect performance.
Watch & Learn
Need help?
What can we use instead of wooden skewers, bottle caps, or a drinking straw if we can't find them?
If wooden skewers or bottle caps are hard to find, use straight pencils or thin dowels as axles and large buttons, small jar lids, or toy wheels as replacements for the bottle cap wheels, and use a firm paper tube or rolled cardboard in place of the drinking straw while following steps 2–6 and 9–10 to assemble them.
My car doesn't roll or the wheels wobble—what should I check first?
If the wheels rub or the car won't roll straight, check that the axle holes (step 2) aren't too tight, move the tape stop on the wheel or widen the holes slightly and trim any skewer ends flush as in steps 6–7 to reduce friction and wobble.
How can I adapt this project for younger or older kids?
For preschoolers have an adult pre-cut the cardboard and make the axle holes then let the child push on wheels and tape them (steps 1–6), while older kids can experiment with different sail shapes, axle placement, or glide surfaces (steps 8–11) to test speed and steering.
How can we make the wind-powered car more fun or go better after the basic build?
To enhance performance and personalization, decorate the cardboard body, try different sail sizes or angles on the straw mast (steps 9–11), add small tape weights near the front or back to change balance, or make a tiny rudder to improve straight-line rolling.